Just got an old log arch to go with my D2, attachment part is 3 inches thick and the draw bar can only take 2 inches. Thinking replace draw bar with one from bigger Cat, or have someone cut and weld mine to take 3 inch attachment.  What would you do?

Hi, Claremontcat.
Buy a bigger Cat. After all, how many is too many??????????????????????

I think I'd go with the cut-n-weld option. If'n yer worried about appearances, try to make it look as much like the original as possible

Just my 0.02.

From pictures looks easy to change the clevis on the log arch. If you don't loose the old clevis you can always go back if you wish.

Undue the big square headed bolt. Build a new clevis.

This is what Hyster made for towing the arches.
   I would make a smaller hitch on the arch, Hyster made a special hitch for towing sulky's    

My first thought was attack the log arch clevis, but the U shaped bar that holds it is also 3 in thick and if I take 1/2 in off top and bottom so it clears the draw bar it will take about 1/2 the metal around that big bolt that holds the clevis.

I like the idea of building a hitch just for the log arch - this thing is bigger than the Sulky but I don't plan on pulling heavy loads with it. Thanks for the idea!

here's another idea get some heavy wall rhs and make a pocket that slides over the draw bar and picks up the draw bar pin then using heavy flat bar make a new drawing point that will take the clevis. the pocket will also need plating with flat bar to reinforce it a bit too. oh and be sure to use a grade 8 bolts for draw bar pins so it will have an engineered failure point as a high tensile bolt that is a proper fit will snap rather than bend and thus do less damage.

though hyster had made a hitch mount that picked up bolt holes on the winch body and thus was very strong. so you could make a replica of that too.

as another suggested make a new clevis block. but make it a bit longer so you can step the thickness and have a nice radius to change to the thicker section that would eliminate you not enough meat around the bolt concern. and the radius would prevent stress fracturing

BeGe made pocketed drawbar extensions for the D2/4. Maybe you could modify one of them for you purpose without hacking up the drawbar.

 

That BeGe pocket drawbar extension is exactly what I need for my D2. My D2 has a belt pulley at the rear that makes hooking up implements difficult. Does anybody have one for sale?